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Congress monitoring visit in Spain: ''The crisis is an opportunity to renovate the system of local and regional democracy''

Congress monitoring visit in Spain: ''The crisis is an opportunity to renovate the system of local and regional democracy''[08/06/2012]

A Congress delegation carried out a monitoring visit to Spain from 5 to 8 June 2012 to assess the situation of local and regional democracy in light of the European Charter of the Local Self-Government which Spain ratified in 1988. The delegation was composed of two rapporteurs on local and regional democracy, Marc Cools (Belgium, ILDG) and Leen Verbeek (The Netherlands, SOC). ''This visit takes place at a crucial moment in Spain when Spanish authorities are currently considering modifying the basic legislation governing local authorities'' said Leen Verbeek. ''The objective of this revision is, according to the Spanish authorities, to eliminate duplications, strengthening the efficiency of the existing tiers of government and ensuring the concomitant financing of all allocated competences to local authorities. There is a real possibility to achieve this ambition'' he added. ''This crisis hit Spain very severely'', said Marc Cools. ''But it also constitutes an opportunity to be seized in order to renovate the system of local and regional democracy in Spain''. A recommendation on the situation of local and regional democracy in Spain will be submitted for adoption to the Congress session in March 2013.